Rededication Ceremony
9:00 p.m. Day Five Behind Trailblazer Site (Former COPE site)
Notes for preparation:
Staff has completed Scoutmaster’s Dinner
Troop has assembled at the Super ShowerGilwell Field with Bill (the only staff). Instructions for assembly time and place were provided by Chuck when he delivered the patrol letters. (Super shower? at 8:50 pm)
Dan assembles the staff and moves them to the ceremony site.The Staff assembles at the ceremony site—in red shirtjacs (or raingear) and hats. Patrols assemble at Gilwell with Bill. Bill will lead OFS to the ceremony site once all patrols have arrived. Ceremony site will be dark until the arrival of the Spirit Of Scouting lantern and the campfire is lighted from it.
Site was prepared during the day by the ASM-S and FQM.
Site preparation includes:
- Table with 12 white candles in Wood Badge pentagon used during D1 Troop meeting (coat with lighter fluid if raining) for Scout Law
- Separate white candle in holder for Scout Spirit
- Scout Spirit lantern (lit) from demonstration campfire
- 3-candle Wood Badge candle holder with red, white blue candles for Scout Oath
- 2 lighters
- 2 large umbrellas if raining (1 over pentagon, one over those reading)
- One candle representing the Spirit of Scouting
- US Flag hung in trees behind the siteusing black rope/string
- CD player or MP3 player with Star-Spangled Banner, Every Season and Navy Hymn
- Power for spotlight to illuminate flag or large battery powered flash lights
- Tall ladder to hang Flag
- Small Campfire in ½ drum (unlit)
- Gilwell Field Ax and Log
- Bead display from opening (currently being prepared by FQM)
- Ashes from previous WB courses
- Film canisters to collect ashes to distribute to Staff and Participants
- Troop Flag-held by Staffer in Center of Troop line
- Scout Spirit lantern (lit)
- Tripod to hand hang Spirit Lantern
Ceremony:
The staging for the ceremony begins at Gilwell Field with Bill.
Bill: Before you is the lamp of the Spirit of Scouting, lit from the flames of the Instructional Campfire, which in turn was used to light our campfire last night. Please turn off your flashlights for the remainder of this ceremony. Patrols, please follow me double file. The Owls, Bears, Buffaloes, and Antelopes will be on the right—in that order. The Foxes, Eagles, Bobwhites, and Beavers will be on the left—in that order. Please be silent and remain in double file.
Bill exits by walking between the Foxes and Bears.
Double file works better forUpon entering the ceremony site, the line splits left and right to fill the circle. ASM-P Stands at split point to direct OFS left and right. Bill remains at centerpoint, later moves to center where fire lay awaits the Spirit of Scouting.
Beaver, Bobs, Eagles, Fox / Owls, Bears, Buffs and Lopes.
The ceremony begins with the staff, <minus Bill>, in place at the site.
Chuckplaces the staff in line opposite from where OFS enter.
The Troop arrives and is placed by Bill Al to create a horseshoe circle around the ceremony site, table with Scout Pentagon candelabra and unlit campfire at center. ( Leave end with US flag openWe want to complete the circle of fellowhip around the fire), flag NOT illuminated (and is above head level so it can be seen by all. We don’t want to call attention to that area before illumination of the flag.) Bill stands in line at split point at path for later BP (Tom) entrance
Bill: Steps forward and Lights single candle using Scout Spirit lantern from staff and OFS campfire. Good evening and welcome to our course rededication ceremony. In the original Wood Badge course, Sir Baden-Powell was greatly impressed by the dedication shown by the participants Scouters and wanted to reinforce this dedication. We here tonight want to represent those original dedicated Scouters and want towill rededicate ourselves to the ideals of our program. Thise candle burning behind me again represents the Spirit of Scouting.
Chuck talks about the continuity of Scouting and WB (60th Anniversary in US) and pours ashes from previous campfire(s) onto unlit campfire.
Bill: You have been led here tonight by the Spirit of Scouting,. for you see we lit the lamp from the flames of the Instuctional Campfire which in turn was used to light the Participants Campfire last night. We shall pass the flame to our fire tonight....<lights the fire from Scout Spirit Lantern> and returns to place in line.
Chuck moves to the Scout Oath candles.>
Chuck: Good evening. The mission of the Boy Scouts of America is to prepare young people to make ethical and moral choices over their lifetimes by instilling in them the values of the Scout Oath and Law. The Scout oath represents three great dutiespromises, duty to God and Country, duty to others, and duty to self. (As he explains this the SM lights the three candles using the Scout Spirit Candle) Now if you would please join me as we recite the Scout Oath together.
Aland Dan moves to the pentagon candelabra.>
Dan : As we recite the Scout Law, Please pause after each point.
Dan Al: A Scout is Trustworthy. (As Dan lights the candle, Al reads the explanation.) Continues through all 12 points.
[Note: this is the same list of one sentence descriptions used at the first Troop Meeting
Dan: Two
Nancy moves to the center>
Nancy: Please join me in singingGod Bless America
<After the song>
Chuck: Join Me in presenting Honors to the Flag, as we listen to the US Army Band.. Scout Salute, (the American flag hanging in the trees is illuminated and remains so until the close of the ceremony.) Clicker Duty (Lee): Lights Flag and MP3 (National Anthem)
Two
Baden Powell sounded the Kudu Horn to call the first troop to formation at Brown Sea Island and again to open the first Wood Badge Course at Gilwell. We carry on that tradition to this day, Sounding the Kudu to summons all to assembly.
Chuck: Discusses Beads
Jim: (steps forward) A long high-quality toot on Kudu horn (steps forward) (outside of circle) to summon BP
<Tom: Enters circle from behind shed through gap left by Bill
Tom presents: BP’s Last Message to Scoutersand then joins circle next to Chuck
Chuck: I would like to ask our Assistant Scoutmaster, John McCulla, to lead us in a rededication prayer.
John presents invocation/prayer:
Please join with me in prayer
"Build me a Scout, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weakness and brave enough to face himself when he is afraidfear; one who will be proud and unbending in honest defeat, and humble and gentle in victory...
Build me a Scout whose wishes will not take the place of deeds; a Scout who himself is the foundation stone of knowledge...
Lead him, this Sscout, I pray, not in the path of ease and comfort, but under the stress and spur of difficulties and challenge. LHere, let him learn to stand up in the storm; Lhere let him learn compassion for those who fail...
Build me a Scout whose heart will be clear, whose goals will be high.
A Scout who will master himself themself before he seekings to master serve others, one who will march into the future, yet never forget the past...
And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor so that he may always be serious, yet never take himselfto be mindful but not too seriously.
Give him humility, so that he may always to remember the simplicity of true wisdom, and the meekness of true strength...
Then I, a Scouter, who knew him, will dare to whisper, `I have not lived in
vain.'"
BillJohn: Please join me in a moment of silent meditation.
… amen (Lee has CD/MP3 player play Every Season (3 min, 5 secs))[AMB1]
Chuck: In keeping with the tradition of Scout meetings I would like to share a Scoutmasters Minute with you.. ……….
Chuck finishes and signals Bill.
Bill:asks the troop toPleasecircle up and form a circlejoin hands.
Troop circles up and joins hands and Chris leads Scout Vespers
At the conclusion of the song, Bill closes with the benediction:
And now, may the great Great Scoutmaster of all great Scouts, be with you us until we meet again.
Chuck: Good Night Scouts.
Bill: Patrol leaders, please quietly lead your patrols back to your campsites for the remainder for the evening. Troop Dismissed.
The staff remains in place while the troop departs. Lee starts (Navy Hymn) for the recessional.
FASQMs collect ashes from fire in film canisters, label and distribute at D6 lunch.
To my Brother Scouters and Guides:
Cecil Rhodes said at the end of his life (and I, in my turn to feel the truth of it), "So much to do and so little time to do it". No one can hope to see the consummation, as well as the start, of a big venture within the short span of one life-time.
I have had an extraordinary experience in seeing the development of Scouting from its begining up to its present stage. But there is a vast job before it. The Movement is only now getting into its stride. The one part which I can claim as mine towards promoting the movement is that I have been lucky enough to find you men and women to form a group of the right stamp who can be relied upon to carry it on to its goal. You will do well to keep yours eyes open, in your turn, for worthy successors to whom you can, with confidence, hand the torch. Don`t let it became a salaried organization: keep it a voluntary movement of patriotic service.
The Movement has already, in the comparatively short period of its existence, established itself onto a wide and so strong a footing as to show most encouraging promise of what may be possible to it in the coming years. Its aim is to produce healthy, happy, helpful citizens, of both sexes, to eradicate the prevailing narrow self-interest, personal, political, sectarian and national, and to substitute for it a broader spirit of self-sacrifice and service in the cause of humanity; and thus to develop mutual goodwill and co-operation not only within our own country but abroad, between all countries. ExperieceExperience shows that this consummation is no idle or fantastic dream, but is a practicable possibility if we work for it; and it means, when attained, peace, prosperity and happiness for all. The "encouraging promise" lies in the fact that the hundreds of thousands of boys and girls who are learning our ideals today will be fathers and mothers of millions in the near future, in whom they will in turn inculcate the same ideals, provided that these are really and unmistakably impressed upon them by their fathers and mothers of today.
Therefore you, who are Scouters, are not only doing a great work for your neighbour’`s children but are also helping in practical fashion to bring to pass God’`s Kingdom of peace and goodwill upon earth. So, from my heart, I wish you God-speed in your effort.
Baden-Powell
1
[AMB1]Silent means silent. At least a minute- three would be better.